There are currently a variety of solar training programs available. Some are targeted at the working student who cannot afford to take time away from work. Those programs offer weekend and evening courses, and some even offer the classroom portions online. Virtually all solar school programs concerned with installation of solar systems have a large portion of the program dedicated to hands-on training. These programs are especially crucial to training carpenters and electricians in how to use their existing skills for the purpose of advancing renewable energy.

Another encouraging aspect of the training available for those interested in pursuing careers in clean renewable energy is that the new programs are open to a greater variety of students. In the past, studies and job training in environmental science were available only to people holding academic credentials. Generally these courses were part of science and engineering departments at large well-funded universities. But today’s solar school can be a small operation with no affiliation with an academic university. A person who has absolutely no academic credentials, such as a construction laborer with no college but an intense interest in solar energy, can gain a solar energy credential and look forward to a more secure job.

Generally when we first think of jobs involving solar energy we think only of the jobs that pertain to the installation of the solar systems in homes and businesses. Certainly that is a large part, if not the largest part, of the jobs available, but it is important to remember that there will also be jobs in the development of new products and systems as well as in the marketing of such systems. Just like other product industries spawn mini industries in a supporting role, solar energy will need an array of people involved in everything from design and invention to sales. For this reason when we think of studying at a solar school we need to remember that the schools will be varied. Some will be small trade schools with the sole purpose of offering a solar panel installation certificate, while other schools will be located in large universities where portions of the engineering or business departments are devoted to training students in various roles concerning solar technology.

According to many experts the need for qualified personnel and the need for solar schools will continue to increase. For those new to the workforce or those that want to compliment their existing skills a certification in solar technology may be the best way to spend money on education and get an immediate return on the investment.

Boots on the Roof, a leading Renewable energy training institute, is enrolling students into its Solar Thermal and PV Training classes. For more information on qualifications, Training Dates and Locations, click here.

Boots on the Roof, one of the best solar/wind training providers in the San Francisco bay area, is currently enrolling students into its upcoming Solar PV and Wind Energy training boot camp.  Students can get certified as solar PV installers. The training program includes hands-on labs, classroom activities focusing on solar electric system design, safety regulations, installation and extra business topics related to photovoltaic.  To learn more about dates, locations, and course details,  click here.

Why? The answer is because wiring a building to run off of solar power requires very different technologies and skill sets than wiring a building to run off of the local electrical power grid.

Using local grid power, regular home construction electricians are used to accessing a constant, regulated, steady flow of electricity from the local power grid. All they have to do is distribute that constant flow of electricity throughout the building via the standard residential electrical wiring network.

Solar power, however, is much more complex. Under solar power systems, electricity comes not from the local power grid, but from the sun. Solar panels in the roof convert sunlight to electricity. Consequently, the flow of electricity is neither regulated nor constant. To overcome this problem, electricity generated by the solar panels is stored in battery banks. The batteries, in turn, provide a regulated, steady flow of electricity to the building. If the batteries are depleted, the home electrical network needs to be able to switch seamlessly back over to the local power grid.

All this, obviously, adds an extra layer of complexity to wiring a building’s electrical network. Any electrician specialized in dealing with it will be in high demand in the solar power industry.

How will I use my Solar Power Training Certification–What Does a Solar Electrician Do?

In addition to wiring a home or building with the usual electrical network, a solar electricians must also set up the solar energy battery banks. This is not as easy as it sounds. The solar electrician must know what type of batteries to use, and how many will be needed. If there is more than one battery (as with all but the most basic solar power system there will be), the solar electrician will need to set up load-balancing equipment to charge and deplete the multiple batteries evenly. The electricity will also need to be converted from DC power to the 120-volt AC power used in the building’s wall outlets.

Solar electricians also need to be also to install instrumentation to measure the charge in the battery banks, and control mechanisms to switch over to local grid power when the battery banks are almost drained. Today, very few homes are capable of being powered entirely by solar energy. Most use a combination of solar and grid power, using the solar power produced merely to reduce their monthly power bill.

How Do I Become a Solar Electrician?

At least an Associate’s degree in Electrical Engineering or a related field would be the required to qualify as a Solar Electrician. Obviously, a Bachelor’s or Master’s Degree you be preferable. If possible, attend a solar school rather than a community college or a vocational school program to get solar panel installation training. Not only will a solar school train you in the specializations needed to work with solar power systems, but you’ll learn more about solar power in general. Both of these will make your degree more attractive for a solar power company, and increase your chances of being hired.

Boots on the Roof, a leading Renewable Energy training institute, is enrolling students into its Solar PV Installation Training classes. For more information on qualifications, Training Dates and Locations, click here.

Penetrating a new market

Solar energy systems are part of a relatively young industry in the global market. This keeps it under the radar of most people, but is definitely a viable career option for anyone seeking a career path. Solar training then offers courses for a trainee to understand, install, use, maintain and market these solar technologies, effectively arming them with the basic set of skills to penetrate the solar technology market.

Slow but steady increase in demand

As previously mentioned, the world is slowly accepting the need to switch to a more eco-friendly way of life. Solar technology is one alternative, and solar training allows you to be able to establish a foothold in the business before it becomes saturated with skilled professionals. You will always find a client who is looking to go green with their power, and the clientele will only grow with time.

Lack of skilled experts in the field

Speaking of skilled professionals saturating the market, there is currently a gap between supply and demand when it comes to solar power. Obtaining solar training early on will help you establish a name for yourself in the business as the number of skilled experts and professionals in solar technologies are still lacking. This will allow you to find a solid client base as well as build a reputation in order for you to get known in the world of solar technology.

Broad range of potential clients

The potential clients for solar technologies are wide and can be found all over the place, from individual homeowners seeking a solar-powered water heater to conglomerates seeking green energy to enhance their public image. Solar training will allow you to identify which client niche you are going to target, as well as providing you with the expertise needed to meet their needs.

Increasing national and international support

Even governments around the world are recognizing the need to go green, and solar energy systems are on top of the list. Solar training will bring you to a career path that is made even more financially sound thanks to the efforts of the government to use more sustainable and environmentally-friendly sources of power.

Training future generations

Solar training is a career in and of itself. You yourself can be an educator when it comes to the application of solar technology, which means you can then make living from training others in the art and science of solar technologies.

The rising demand, the lack of skilled experts, the broad range of clients and increasing global and government support means that solar technology will be here for a long to come. Getting solar training early on will help you get a slice of the cake before everyone else comes scrambling into the fray. For more information on dates on your options for Solar Training  in California and other nationwide locations, there is no better resource than Boots on the Roof. Learn more about Solar Training Programs here.

Photovoltaic Engineers and Technicians
With the technical expertise being taught in solar training, it is expected that one of the first and foremost careers would be one in engineering. As the various photovoltaic technologies have their own ins and outs, it takes an intimate amount of knowledge to be able to understand them and apply them in order to harvest solar energy. The need for relevant and up-to-date solar training is especially true since solar energy is becoming better, cheaper and more effective.

Solar Energy Research and Development
Another direct application of solar training is in the field of researching and developing new technologies for solar energy. The basic courses of solar training exposes a potential researcher not just to the basic technical aspects of gathering and transmitting solar energy, but to other related fields like marketing and alternative energy sources. This is how solar training allows a researcher to expand his or her direction of research in order to achieve a constructive end.

Entrepreneurs and Contractors
If a businessman wishes to capitalize on solar technology, then solar training will teach that person the ins and outs of the technology, demographics and marketing strategies required for solar energy. Green technology is a growing industry, and it requires certain levels of skill and understanding in order for an entrepreneur to make a profit from it. Solar training teaches that skill and understanding, as well as gives the entrepreneur a unique point of view with regards to the practical applications of solar energy.

Education and Training
Solar training is in itself a career. As more and more organizations and individuals realize the benefits of switching to solar energy, more and more people will be needed to fill the gap between supply and demand when it comes to educating tomorrow’s technicians, engineers, researchers and entrepreneurs. A career in teaching individuals via solar training is then a very viable path for a person to take, as teaching the ups and downs of photovoltaic cells and harvesting solar energy is something that requires a very specific set of skills and expertise.

Career Enhancement
If you are already established in your chosen career, then solar training can help boost your existing skill sets by familiarizing you with alternatives to gathering energy. You can introduce your company or business into a technology that can help minimize costs while riding the green wave, which is something that is definitely beneficial for any profit-oriented organization.

The future of solar energy is bright, both literally and figuratively. Solar training will equip you with the skills you need to build a career off the sun’s energy, and it is a career path that can bring you to many places if you choose to do so. Just remember that the world is going green, and a career path painted in the same color will capitalize on that wave.

However, the renewable energy sectors are still looking for workers that have knowledge regarding solar technology and energy. Although solar technology has experienced major advancements in the past months, these sectors still need help in bringing solar energy to all households for the sake of the environment and existing non-renewable resources. You can help these sectors by getting others into solar training through these methods.

Demonstrations
Having your own set of solar panels gives you the opportunity to start simple solar training sessions by showing others how solar panels can be of great help to your home. If you are not familiar with solar panels, there are plenty of videos and guides online that can demonstrate this. Solar panels in action can be really amazing especially to those that never went up close and personal with these solar devices.

If you happen to have some gadgets like solar powered flashlights and other mobile devices, those are great things to show off as they mark the future of solar technology and solar training increases that awareness.

Activities
To make things more interactive, you can engage in activities such as group do-it-yourself projects. Building your very own solar panel out of solar cells and other materials is a lot of fun and can serve as great solar training for you and the other people that are helping out with the project. This also gives people a better idea on what the people at the renewable energy sectors are doing. Having hands on knowledge with solar energy and technology projects gives people the necessary experience in handing real jobs at the renewable energy sectors.

Online Sessions
It can be extremely easy to get people online involved with solar training through social networking sites and other channels. The best online sessions involve watching videos from the different video sharing sites like YouTube and Metacafe. Getting others into blogs and forum sites can make things more interesting especially if lots of people get involved. Different opinions and updates on the current trends by different people can serve as a great online solar training session.

Helping others by means of solar training also means helping yourself too as you can get a lot of new knowledge on solar energy and technology just by participating with them. This is exactly what these energy sectors need as communities strive for energy independence from fossil fuels and other energy resources that endanger the environment. This is the perfect time to get involved while solar energy is being applied to all kinds of mobile gadgets and devices.

Not true. Solar power took the stage and stayed on it, and the demand is only rising higher. What financial people, marketing and trend studies are finding out is that, while the demand for solar products is high, there’s a huge shortage of qualified people with solar training to install PV (photovoltaics) systems, as well as many other areas.

States such as Oregon, Colorado, Arizona and New Jersey have policies that make them good places to start up or grow solar businesses, among many other states. Solar integrators are looking at many new technologies, searching for better ways to harness solar energy.

PV technology, for instance, uses silicon to create energy when encountering light. PV systems use the light photons that cause heat, and most modules are made with silicone wafers, soldered together in rows. While many research and development programs are funded somewhat, most of it is driven by the private market. This opens up “green jobs” in research and development, as well as manufacturing and installation in local communities.

Over the past twenty-five years or so, solar electric power systems have garnered a huge popularity in the business and private sectors. Therefore, the local levels are also suffering a shortage of employees with solar training. With the demand for PV products rising, those in the construction business such as general contractors, electricians, roofers and the like will need to be able to meet that demand.

Businesses, especially, are taking energy audits and looking at ways to reduce energy costs. This is where those in the construction business can really benefit from solar training and certification, as well as learning “green” building.

Companies are becoming more interested in ways to save, from insulation, to lighting, to solar installation. If a general contractor takes an interest in solar training, knows how to measure energy usage and knows how to reduce it, that’s a general contractor who will be in higher demand than others.

Roofers and electricians can also benefit from solar training. Homeowners are starting to replace their old roofing tiles with solar PV arrays; a roofer who is also a qualified installer will be able to find more work. However, sometimes the solar arrays won’t work on a roof and must be installed on the ground. In this case, an electrician with solar training can find the perfect niche to work in.

As long as the upward trend continues in the solar industry; as long as people worry about the environment and global warming; as long as nations work together to make the world better, solar training will be a necessity in several walks of life.

Who can use solar courses?
People from all walks of life could benefit from solar training. Anyone interested in renewable, sustainable energy sources are good examples. Due to the expected rise of needed manpower in the solar industry, however, reasons other than the environment should compel others.

Already, the solar industry has discovered a skills gap in solar training. Those that know how to install photovoltaic arrays, develop other ways of harnessing solar energy, maintain the necessary equipment and several other areas are retiring – without the younger generation replacing them in knowledge and training.

Another area where the skills gap is showing is in “greener” building. Environmentalists and others who just happened to notice solar energy is ultimately cheaper are demanding energy efficient appliances, solar panels, rain catchers and any number of newer, more environmentally safe changes to their homes. As a builder without solar training, one may find themselves losing business due to lack of knowledge. With a little bit of time and effort, a general builder can turn into a “green” builder, with all the training and certifications necessary.

So how do you get involved?
As a “green” builder or solar installation provider, the first place to gather information would be your local homebuilder’s association. They’ll have information on solar product supplies, rules and regulations, and what’s need for PV certification. This is especially important, as each locality has its own regulations. They may not vary much from one to the other, but they do vary.

Training and certification is necessary. As a home-builder using solar design, you’ll want to make sure that the finished home is certified as an energy efficient, solar domicile. For that to happen, you’ll need solar training and certification.

Likewise for solar installers. Each individual PV installation will be different, having its own requirements and sets of issues to overcome. This means that adding a PV system is not “plug and play”. Requirements and needs will have to be assessed, problems will have to be circumvented, and a custom solar installation will have to be designed. This is why PV training and certification is a must.

PV training and certification programs are readily available at our Boot Camps. There are three types of certification; an Entry Level certificate, a Solar Thermal Installer Certification (solar heat), and the PV Installer Certification. To hold these certifications, you would be trained to design and install all types of custom solar solutions.